Filing-cabinet.



No. 758,039. PATENTED APR. 26, 1904.

11. w. ANDREWS. H FILING CABINET.

APPLIOA'IION FILED AUG. 12, 1903.

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1 Patented April 26, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

HORACE W. ANDREWS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

FILING-CABINET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 758,039, dated April 26, 1904.

Application filed August 12, 1903.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, HORACE W. ANDREWS, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filing-Cabinets, of which the following-is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in filing-cabinets, and has for its object the production of a cabinet in which the compartments thereof or the fi1e-boxes contained in said compartments are each closed by a front piece adapted to drop" away and uncover the compartment when it has been partially removed therefrom; and it consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be readily understood by reference to the description of the drawings and to the claims to be hereinafter given.

Of the drawings, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a cabinet with two compartments, one of which is shown as closed, while the other is indicated in its open position.

' Fig. 2 represents a sectional elevation through one of the compartments and its filing-box, the compartment being in its closed position. Fig. 3 represents a similar section with the filing-box and its drop-front in elevation. Fig. 4 represents a view similar to Fig. 3 with the filing-box and drop-front in their forward or open positions, and Fig. 5 represents a perspective view of the drop-front removed from its inclosing casing.

Similar characters designate like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

In the drawings is shown a filing-cabinet consisting of an inclosing casing 10, having pigeonholes or other compartments to receive file-boxes 11. Between the rear end of each file-box 11 and the rear end of the inclosing casing 10 is interposed a spring 12, the tendency of whichis to force said file-box 11 from its compartment said file-box being prevented from moving too far to the front by the catch 13, operated by a spring 14, which engages with a notch 15 in the under side of said filebox 11. The file-box is made somewhat less Serial No. 169,170. (No modelfl inwidth than the compartment in which it is placed, and between said file-box and the in ner sides of said compartment are inserted the side extensions 16, secured at their front ends to the front portion 17, provided with the usual drawer-pull 18. The side extensions 16 are of the same height as the compartment in which said side extensions are mounted, so that when the file-box 11 and the front portion 17 are in their rearward positions said dropfront will be prevented from vertical movement. Said side extensions are cutaway from a to Z) on a suitable curve and from Z) to c in a straight line, so that when said front portion 17 is moved to the front said side extensions will be permitted to drop until the point 7) reaches the front edge of the inclosing casing, when the edge I) to c of said side extensions will rest on the bottom of said compartment, while the point (Z at the upper rear corner of the side extensions 16 will rest against the upper portion of said compartment and prevent any further vertical movement of said drop-front, a notch 19 in the under edge of said side extensions at this time engaging with a springcatch 20 in said inclosing casing, thereby preventing any further forward movement of said drop-front. As the drop-front is being moved into this position the spring 12 in the rear of the file-box will at the same time be forcing the file-box to the front until the de pression in the under side thereof engages with the spring-catch 13 to limit the outward movement of said file-box. At this time said file-box will be resting upon the upper edge of the drop-front 17, making a firm support therefor and leaving the front portion of the file-box entirely free and uncovered, so that the papers or other contents thereof may be readily removed.

It is obvious that in some cases the dropfront and side extensions may be used in connection with an inclosing casing and compartments without the use of a file-box, as shown herein, and when so used the front of the compartment in which said drop-front is used may be readily and quickly uncovered to disclose the contents thereof, so that they may be readily removed. When said dropfront is used in connection with a file-box, it

affords a strong and rigid support therefor, and by the use of several file-boxes in the same manner a very rigid support may be made for a drawer or tray, as is sometimes desired.

The automatic means by which the file-box is caused to follow the forward movement of the drop-front as it is moved forward is an important feature of this invention, as by its use it is unnecessary to manipulate the filebox by hand, leaving one hand entirely free to handle the contents of said file-box, and thereby saving time, which is of considerable importance to business men.

It is obvious that this device may be operated. inverted or at right angles to the positions shown in the drawings without altering the principles of this invention. When the device is inverted, the front portion will rest upon the file-box when opened, thereby doing away with the necessity of supporting the same by hand and preventing it from returning'into position to close the opening in said compartment. This is a very convenient arrangement for compartments on desks and in similar positions where it would be impossible to permit the front to drop away in order to uncover the compartment. This inverted arrangement is also applicable to a double row of compartments where it is 'desirable that the front portions of the upper row should not drop down in front of the lower row of compartments.

It is believed that with the foregoing description theoperation of the invention will be fully understood.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In a filing-cabinet provided with a compartment, the combination with an inclosing casing, of a front portion, and two side extensions connected thereto and fitting said compartment but otherwise free and disconnected, each side extension having one edge perpendicular to the front portion and its other edge provided with a cut-away portion, the rear of said side extensions having a height at right angles to said cut-away portion equal to the height of said compartment.

2. In a filing-cabinet provided with a compartment, the combination with an, inclosing casing, of a front portion, two side extensions connected thereto, each side extension having one edge perpendicular to the front portion and its other edge cut away to permit said front portion when said extensions are removed partially from said casing to be moved out of line with the opening therein, a notch in the cut-a way edge of a side extension, and a catchsecured to said inclosing casing cooperating with said notch.

3. In a filing-cabinet provided with a compartment, the combination with an inclosing casing, of a front portion, two side extensions connected thereto and fitting said compartment but otherwise free and disconnected,

each side extension having one edge perpendicular to the front portion and its other edge cut away to permit the front portion when removed partially from said casing to be moved out of line with the opening therein, and means for limiting the outward movement of said front portion and side extensions.

4. In a filing-cabinet provided with a compartment, the combination with an inclosing casing, of a front portion, two side extensions connected thereto but otherwise free and disconnected, each side extension having one edge perpendicular to the front portion and its other edge cut away to permit said front portion when removed partially from said casing to be moved out of line with the opening therein, and a catch to lock said front portion when it is in its inner position.

5. In a filing-cabinet provided with a compartment, the combination with an inclosing casing, of a front portion, two side extensions connected thereto but otherwise free and disconnected, each side extension having one edge perpendicular to the front portion and its other edge cut away to permit the front portion when removed partially from said casing to be moved out of line with the opening therein, a stop for limiting the outward movement of said front portion, and a catch to lock the front portion when in its inner position.

6. In a filing-cabinet provided with a compartment, the combination with an inclosing casing, of a front portion adapted to close said compartment and to be moved forward without disturbing the contents thereof, two side extensions connected thereto but otherwise free and disconnected, each side extension having one edge perpendicular to the front portion and its other edge cut away to permit said front portion when removed partially from said casing to be moved out of line with the opening thereirr, and a file-box fitting between said side extensions, but disconnected therefrom.

7. In a filing-cabinet provided with a compartment, the combination with an inclosing casing, of a front portion adapted to close said compartment and to be moved forward independent of the contents thereof, two side extensions connected thereto but otherwise free and disconnected, each side extension having one edge perpendicular to the front portion and its other edge cut away to permit the front portion when removed partially from said casing to be moved out of line with-the opening therein, a file-box fitting between said side extensions but disconnected therefrom, and means for forcing said file-box outwardly.

8. In a filing-cabinet provided with a cornpartment, the combination with an inclosing casing, of a front portion adapted to close said compartment and to be moved forward independent of the contents thereof, two side extensions connected thereto but otherwise free and disconnected, each side extension having one edge perpendicular to the front portion and its other edge cut away to permit the front portion when removed partially from said casing to be moved out of line with the opening therein, a file-box fitting between said side extensions but disconnected therefrom, and a spring acting upon therear of said filebox.

9. In a filing-cabinet provided with a compartment, the combination with an inclosing casing, of a front portion, two side extensions connected thereto but otherwise free and disconnected, each side extension having one e ge perpendicular to the front portion and its other edge cut away to permit the front portion when removed partially from said casing to be moved out of line with the opening therein, a file-box fitting between said side extensions, means for forcing said filebox outwardl y, and a catch to limit the outward movement of said file-box.

10. In a filing-cabinet providedwith a compartment, the combination with an inclosing casing, of a front portion, two side extensions connected thereto, each side extension having one edge perpendicular to the front portion and its other edge cut away to permit the front portion when removed partially from said casing to be moved out of line with the opening therein, a file-box fitting between said side extensions, means for forcing said filebox outwardly, and a catch to limit the outward movement of said file-box and also adapted to lock said front portion in its inner position.

11. In a filing-cabinet provided with a compartment, the combination with an inclosing casing, of a front portion, provided with side extensions and adapted to drop away from the opening in said casing, means for forcing outwardlysaid file-box independently of said side extensions, and a stop to limit the outward movement thereof.

12. In a filing-cabinet provided with a compartment, the combination with an inclosing casing, of a front portion adapted to close said compartment and to be moved outwardly independently of the contents thereof, and two side extensions connected to said front portion but otherwise free and disconnected, each side extension having one edge perpendicular to the front portion and its other edge provided with a triangular cut-away portion to permit said front portion when said extensions are removed partially from said casing to drop below the opening therein.

13. In a filing-cabinet provided with a compartment, the combination with an inclosing casing, of a front portion adapted to close said compartment and to be moved outwardly independently of the contents thereof, two side extensions connected to said front portion but otherwise free and disconnected, and equal in height to the height of said compartment, each side extension having one edge perpendicular to the front portion and its other edge provided with a triangular cut-away portion which permits said front portion to be moved out of line with said compartment when said extensions are removed partially from said casing.

14. In a filing-cabinet provided with a compartment, the combination with an inclosing casing, of a front portion, two side extensions connected thereto, each side extension having one edge perpendicular to the front portion and its other edge cut away to permit said front portion when said extensions are removed partially from said casing to drop below the opening therein, a notch in the under edge of a side extension, a catch secured to said inclosing casing to lock said notch, and a catch to lock the front portion when in its inner position.

15. In a filing-cabinet provided with a compartment, the combination with an inclosing casing, of a front portion, two side extensions connected to said front portion and fitting said compartment, each side extension having one edge perpendicular to the front portion and its other edge cut away to permit the front portion when removed partially from saigleasing to be moved out of line with the opening therein, means for limiting the outward movement of said front portion and side extensions, and a catch to lock the front portion when'in its inner position.

16. In a filing-cabinet provided witha compartment, the combination with an inclosing casing, of a front portion, two side extensions connected to said front portion, a file-box fitting between said side extensions, and means permitting said front portion to drop below said compartment when said extensions are partially removed therefrom and form a support for the outer end of said file-box.

17. In a filing-cabinet provided with a compartment, the combination with an inclosing casing, of a front portion adapted to drop away from the opening in said casing, a filebox in said opening, and means for forcing outwardly said file-box to a position above and resting on said front portion.

18. In a filing-cabinet provided with a compartment, the combination with an inclosing casing, of a front plate adapted to close said compartment, two side extensions connected thereto but otherwise free and disconnected, each side extension having one edge perpendicular to the front plate and its other edge cut away to permit said front plate when removed partially from said casing to be moved out of line with the opening therein,-the rear ends of said side extensions being constructed to continually engage the top and bottom of said compartment, and a file-box fitting between said extensions but disconnected therefrom.

19. In a filing-cabinet provided with a compartment, the combination with an inclosing casing, of a front plate adapted to close said compartment and to be moved forward Without disturbing the contents of said compartment, two side extensions connected thereto but otherwise free and disconnected, each side extension having one edge perpendicular to the front plate and its other edge cut away to permit said front plate when said extensions are partially removed from said casing to be moved out of line with the'opening therein, the rear ends of said side extensions being constructed to continually engage the top and bottom of said compartment.

20. In afiling-cabinet provided with a compartment, the combination with an inclosing casing, of a front plate adapted to close said compartment, and two side extensions connected thereto but otherwise free and disconnected, each side extension having one edge perpendicular to the front plate and its other edge cut away to permit said front plate when said side extensions are removed partially from said casing to be moved out of line with the opening therein, said cut-away portion being cut on a straight line from a point near the center of said extension to a point near the rear end thereof which straight portion is adapted to rest upon the bottom of said compartment when said extension has been partially removed therefrom and said side extensions having a height at right angles to said straight portion at the rear end thereof equal to the height of said compartment.

21. In a filing-cabinet provided with a compartment, the combination with an inclosing casing, of a plate adapted to close said compartment, two side extensions connected thereto but otherwise free and disconnected, each side extension being provided with a cutaway portion, the rear part of which is so constructed as to be supported throughout the greater length thereof by the bottom of said compartment and said side extension is further provided with a bearing-surface adapted to engage the upper side of said compartment when said side extensions are partially withdrawn from said compartment.

22. In a filing-cabinet provided with a compartment, the combination with an inclosing casing, of a front plate adapted to close said compartment, two side extensions connected thereto but otherwise free and disconnected, each side extension having a portion cut away from a point near the center of said side extension on a curve toward the front plateand in a straight line toward the rear end of said extension and each side extension having a height at right angles to the rear end of said straight portion equal to the height of said compartment.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this 28th day of July, 1903.

HORACE W. ANDREWS. 

